Winter storm hits northeast US with snow, thunderstorms – Orange County Register

By JULIE WALKER

NEW YORK (AP) – A dangerous winter storm brought significant snow, strong thunderstorms and strong winds to the northeastern United States over the holiday Monday.

Snow fell 30 centimeters or more in parts of New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania from Sunday night to Monday morning, and tens of thousands of customers in the area were left without power.

Forecasters in Buffalo, New York, said the snow was falling fast, pouring nearly 17 inches (43 centimeters) by 10 a.m. The city recommends that people refrain from non-essential travel on Martin Luther King Jr Day. while a number of surrounding towns have enacted travel bans.

“Oh! (Latest) 1 a.m. snow measurement is 4.6 inches in last hour at Buffalo Airport!” National Weather Service in Buffalo tweeted overnight. last hour ended at 2am! Total so far since the late evening of the Sun – 10.2 inches.”

The weather agency said 17 inches (43 centimeters) of snow or more was reported in Ashtabula County in northeastern Ohio.

“We’ve had a very strong low-pressure area moving up the coast, with quite a bit of snow from Tennessee, North Carolina,” said meteorologist Marc Chenard at the weather service headquarters in College Park. to the northeast”. , Maryland.

New York City had less than an inch of snow, washed away by rain overnight. The weather service said showers and sleet could continue through Monday night.

Forecasters say wind gusts in New York City could reach speeds of about 45 mph (72 km/h) and about 60 mph (97 km/h) on Long Island.

Wind and rain are the main threats to much of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Snow time turns to rain overnight. NWS meteorologists in Boston say gusts could reach 70 mph (113 km/h).

Howling winds spread the flames that consumed a motel and two other structures in coastal Salisbury, Massachusetts, early Monday.

The storm forced the closure of many COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites in the northeast on Monday.

The massive winter system brought similar conditions on Sunday to the Southeast, where thousands remained without power on Monday. Several states have reported several inches of snow, and two people died Sunday in North Carolina when their car veered off the road and hit a tree in the median as the storm blew mixed rainfall through.

Severe lightning in Florida created a tornado with winds of 118 mph (190 km/h), destroying 30 mobile homes and severely damaging 51 others. Three people with minor injuries were reported.

Wet roads in the South are expected to freeze on Monday, creating icy conditions for motorists.

Plow trucks dot the roads and highways up the East Coast, clearing the way for visitors. Several crashes were reported early in the morning, including an ambulance involving a plane wreck on Interstate 279 in Pittsburgh, KDKA-TV reported. It is not clear if anyone was injured.

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Associated Press journalist Karen Matthews contributed to this report.